PHOENIX — Arizona legislators quickly approved emergency legislation Tuesday to head off picketing by a Topeka, Kan., church near the funeral service for a 9-year-old girl who was killed in the Tucson shootings.
Unanimous votes by the House and Senate sent the bill to Gov. Jan Brewer for her expected signature. It would take effect immediately.
Without specifically mentioning the Tucson shooting, the proposed law prohibits protests at or near funeral sites.

Dozens of lawmakers co-sponsored the bill, and legislative action was completed within 90 minutes. The Senate's committee hearing took just three minutes.

The Westboro Baptist Church said Monday it plans to picket Thursday's funeral for Christina Taylor Green because "God sent the shooter to deal with idolatrous America." The fundamentalist church has picketed many military funerals to draw attention to its view that the deaths are God's punishment for the nation's tolerance of homosexuality.

Lawmakers denounced the church's plan to picket a child's funeral.

"This is just horrific that ... people have to deal with this. We shouldn't have to do this in time of great pain for our state," said Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, a Phoenix Democrat.

The girl was the youngest of the six people killed during the shooting at an event held by U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who was among 14 people injured. Giffords was shot in the head and critically wounded. Numerous states have passed laws restricting protests at funerals after members of the Westboro church began protesting at the funerals of soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Arizona legislation is modeled on an Ohio law that was upheld by the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, Sinema said.
The four-paragraph Arizona bill makes it a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail to picket or conduct other protest activities within 300 feet of a funeral or burial service — about the length of a football field. The prohibition applies from one hour before the event to one hour after.
Shirley Phelps-Roper, a church member and a daughter of its pastor, said the prohibition wouldn't matter because church members plan to picket at one of two intersections more than 1,000 feet from the church where the girl's service will be held.
Phelps-Roper also said church members plan picketing Friday in conjunction with a service for another victim of the shooting, U.S. District Judge John M. Roll. Sen. Paula Aboud, a Tucson Democrat, said volunteers in Tucson were organizing a human shield to block the protesters from view of victim family members. Sinema said the prohibition applies only to funeral and burial sites because courts have struck down picketing prohibitions for procession routes.
"This is a good compromise that doesn't trample our God-given rights," said Senate President Russell Pearce, a Mesa Republican.

Sen. Ron Gould, a Republican from Lake Havasu City, voted for the bill but earlier was the only senator who objected to suspending rules requiring several days of legislative consideration before a final vote.
Gould cited the public's right to know what lawmakers are considering. "And when we suspend those rules mistakes get made," he added.

Norman Einstein

01-11-2011, 07:00 PM

With all of the lawyers in the Phelps family you can bet they will be in court as soon as they can get there. They will do their best to get listed by the Arizona Bar so they can file a suit against the state for restricting their free speech.

Baconeater

01-11-2011, 07:05 PM

With all of the lawyers in the Phelps family you can bet they will be in court as soon as they can get there. They will do their best to get listed by the Arizona Bar so they can file a suit against the state for restricting their free speech.
Pffft...they've already won this battle, they're getting the attention they want.

Gonzo

01-11-2011, 07:06 PM

I hope now more than ever that there is a hell because these fuckers would rot in the deepest, darkest pit with no hope of ever being freed.
If this were my child, I could not be held responsible for my actions.
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Psyko Tek

01-11-2011, 07:06 PM

Finally AZ does something right

BigMeatballDave

01-11-2011, 07:08 PM

Pffft...they've already won this battle, they're getting the attention they want.Exactly. If people would just ignore these scumbags, they would go away.

WebGem

01-11-2011, 07:09 PM

Shouldn't this be in DC?

chief52

01-11-2011, 07:12 PM

Pffft...they've already won this battle, they're getting the attention they want.

Damn it...as much as it sucks, you are exactly right. They win.

MIAdragon

01-11-2011, 07:13 PM

Shouldn't this be in DC?

The CP outhouse, no thanks.

Norman Einstein

01-11-2011, 07:20 PM

I hope now more than ever that there is a hell because these ****ers would rot in the deepest, darkest pit with no hope of ever being freed.
If this were my child, I could not be held responsible for my actions.
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Damn it...as much as it sucks, you are exactly right. They win.

I don't think they win. The DA that did the shooting is not the only DA in the land. I'm not saying Gonzo is a DA, but there are people out there that might think Phelps and his kind might be ripe for a show.

Besides, I"d bet the Patriot Riders would be there to block the view of the Phelps whackos.

JD10367

01-11-2011, 07:31 PM

I've said it before and I'll say it again: someone needs to take out Fred Phelps and every member of the Westboro Baptist Church. Immediately, publicly, and painfully.

Huffman83

01-11-2011, 07:31 PM

Nothing is more irritating when the Phelps clan comes to the area. Luckily in Columbia, anything they end up protesting is weak stuff like things the university is up to.

I think once they were protesting Hickman H/S for having some gay/lesbian club. I think they just protested because they were on their way to the Lady Gaga show that night.

Spott

01-11-2011, 07:58 PM

How fucked in the head do you have to be to picket the funeral of a 9 year old girl. Too bad the guy that did the shootings didn't take his aggression out on these bastards.

luv

01-11-2011, 08:02 PM

Haven't read all of the responses, so forgive me if I say something that has already been pointed out. Missouri passed the same legislation, and the church took it all the way to the US Supreme Court. The Court overturned the verdicts of the lower courts sue to the groups actions being protected by the 1st Amendment.

Braincase

01-11-2011, 08:22 PM

Can't we just fill a bunch of ballons with pig's blood and do a drive-by ballooning from an untagged Crown Vic?

Chiefaholic

01-11-2011, 08:31 PM

I know how I'de react if it were my kid... ONE DAY Fred Phelps will get what's coming to him

ChiefsOne

01-11-2011, 08:33 PM

The gunman should have shot Phelps and all of the people from The Westboro Baptist Church.

luv

01-11-2011, 08:37 PM

For now, the best thing that can be done is the human shield. Someone needs to carry a sign asking how many people they've brought to Christ. Spreading messages of God's hate isn't very effective.

They've painted this gunman as a messenger from God. Something's not right in their heads.

luv

01-11-2011, 08:40 PM

If they're supporting the actions of this gunman, then why don't they all go out and become "messengers of God?" IMO, as far as religion goes, supporting something being done is the same as doing it yourself.

ClevelandBronco

01-11-2011, 11:25 PM

How ****ed in the head do you have to be to picket the funeral of a 9 year old girl. Too bad the guy that did the shootings didn't take his aggression out on these bastards.

More fucked than I can understand. However, I'm unwilling to support laws that curtail their right to assemble, speak and worship, no matter how much I disagree with them.

This isn't a job for government. This is one for us, the citizens. Human shield. Peacefully assemble between these nutters and those who should be allowed to grieve on their own terms.

mikey23545

01-11-2011, 11:31 PM

Obviously Phelps and his clan were drawn there by the crosshairs on Palin's map...

bowener

01-12-2011, 12:30 AM

Of all the places that have been terrorized, fire bombed, bullet riddled, why hasn't Phelps house been one of them yet?

Norman Einstein

01-12-2011, 02:13 AM

Of all the places that have been terrorized, fire bombed, bullet riddled, why hasn't Phelps house been one of them yet?I would wager there is a security setup there that rivals that of the white house.

Jenson71

01-12-2011, 04:48 AM

Haven't read all of the responses, so forgive me if I say something that has already been pointed out. Missouri passed the same legislation, and the church took it all the way to the US Supreme Court. The Court overturned the verdicts of the lower courts sue to the groups actions being protected by the 1st Amendment.

The SCOTUS hasn't ruled on Snyder v. Phelps yet, luv.

ChiefsNow

01-12-2011, 05:14 AM

I agree something needs to be done about these lunatics, but law? It's kinda scary. what else will the law makers just throw together in an afternoon and make it law. That scares the hell out of me. I think a human chain would have been better. They are making more and more laws on a whim. I agree with this one, but what's next.

just sayin

ChiefsNow

01-12-2011, 05:16 AM

I agree something needs to be done about these lunatics, but law? It's kinda scary. what else will the law makers just throw together in an afternoon and make it law. That scares the hell out of me. I think a human chain would have been better. They are making more and more laws on a whim. I agree with this one, but what's next.

just sayin

I think people could just come together and make life very uncomfortable for these lunies.

JD10367

01-12-2011, 05:59 AM

Can't we just fill a bunch of ballons with <strike>pig's</strike> AIDS-tainted blood and do a drive-by ballooning from an untagged Crown Vic?

FYP

FAX

01-12-2011, 06:39 AM

I agree something needs to be done about these lunatics, but law? It's kinda scary. what else will the law makers just throw together in an afternoon and make it law. That scares the hell out of me. I think a human chain would have been better. They are making more and more laws on a whim. I agree with this one, but what's next.

just sayin

Good thoughts, Mr. ChiefsNow.

Trouble is, in this country, the law is all we have ... or supposed to have. Even though there is a troubling precedent being established here, I think it's a good thing, overall. The people's representatives have taken a stand that is beneficial to the citizenry.

Besides, the courts will overturn this as unconstitutional just as soon as the funeral is over.

FAX

BigRichard

01-12-2011, 07:27 AM

Obviously Phelps and his clan were drawn there by the crosshairs on Palin's map...

Way to interject a totally unrelated self serving point into what was a good discussion you vile piece of human excrement.

Reerun_KC

01-12-2011, 07:33 AM

I would wager there is a security setup there that rivals that of the white house.

And probably paid for by our state tax money...

Lono

01-12-2011, 07:53 AM

I just can't understand how people think it's their right to free speech or to picket a funeral. Is it not our right to have a peaceful funeral? I can promise if this was my daughter and these nutjobs showed up protesting at her funeral. There would be no more Phelps.

Hydrae

01-12-2011, 07:58 AM

Honestly, this is just grandstanding by the politicos.

Shirley Phelps-Roper, a church member and a daughter of its pastor, said the prohibition wouldn't matter because church members plan to picket at one of two intersections more than 1,000 feet from the church where the girl's service will be held.

They pass a law that says the proest can not occur within 300 feet of the funeral but they weren't going to be protesting that closely anyway. I am sure the politicos had to have known this since I am sure they had to apply for the right to protest in the first place and that paperword would state where they would be setting up.

I agree, these people are worthless users of everyone else's breathable air but sometimes you have to look at that facts being stated and recognize they are not the only stupid bastards out there.

FAX

01-12-2011, 08:18 AM

Honestly, this is just grandstanding by the politicos.

They pass a law that says the proest can not occur within 300 feet of the funeral but they weren't going to be protesting that closely anyway. I am sure the politicos had to have known this since I am sure they had to apply for the right to protest in the first place and that paperword would state where they would be setting up.

I agree, these people are worthless users of everyone else's breathable air but sometimes you have to look at that facts being stated and recognize they are not the only stupid bastards out there.

Pfft.

I didn't know this ... about the 300 ft deal, I mean. Based on this new information, I agree. Sounds a whole lot like grandstanding.

And just when I started developing a slight sense of pride in our governmental system.

FAX

soopamanluva

01-12-2011, 08:24 AM

They will do that to the wrong family and ALL of them will receive a swift ass whipping. That's what they need. I really wish they would have gone ahead and picketed bernie macs funeral, in the south side of Chicago. We'd have never heard from them again...

Hydrae

01-12-2011, 08:39 AM

Pfft.

I didn't know this ... about the 300 ft deal, I mean. Based on this new information, I agree. Sounds a whole lot like grandstanding.

And just when I started developing a slight sense of pride in our governmental system.

FAX

I like you and have a lot of respect for you FAX but this is from the OP:

The four-paragraph Arizona bill makes it a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail to picket or conduct other protest activities within 300 feet of a funeral or burial service ...

FAX

01-12-2011, 08:56 AM

I like you and have a lot of respect for you FAX but this is from the OP:

I didn't read the entire article (obviously). But, to be entirely honest with you about it, the problem is that, whenever I see the words, "Westboro Baptist Church", I tend to gag a little and typically close the thread. I sincerely find those people highly distasteful.

Anyhow, what difference does it make? I know about the 300 ft deal now and it's crazy - as you mentioned. They already couldn't picket within 1000 ft and the legislature decided to chime in with ... well ... basically nothing. It's pitiful.

FAX

Hydrae

01-12-2011, 09:25 AM

SL***snip***ACK

:)

Halfcan

01-12-2011, 07:25 PM

I hope now more than ever that there is a hell because these ****ers would rot in the deepest, darkest pit with no hope of ever being freed.
If this were my child, I could not be held responsible for my actions.
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